About

Ron Corbett has always been a big ideas man of action. He’s currently completing his second term as mayor of Cedar Rapids, a role to which he was recruited following the devastating floods of 2008.

As mayor, Ron has fostered a sense of community where everyone feels valuable and encouraged to pitch in and help the effort to recover and rebuild. New businesses and the city’s population have been steadily growing under Ron’s leadership. Cedar Rapids is now stronger than ever, and, through it all, Ron stuck to his conservative principles never raising the property tax rate.

Promoting growth as mayor was nothing new for Ron Corbett. For six years he led the Cedar Rapids Chamber of Commerce, where he pushed policies to encourage economic development, education and workforce training. He took the Chamber from its traditional role in business to one of active participation in the community and a source for big ideas to push Cedar Rapids forward.

Serving as mayor wasn’t Ron’s first foray into politics. In 1986, at the age of 26, Ron was elected to the Iowa House. He served Iowa in this role for 7 terms and was a key Republican leader when the party won control of the Legislature.

Ron was 34 when his colleagues elected him Iowa’s youngest Speaker of the House. As House Speaker and a leader of the Republican party, Ron gained a reputation as a problem-solver who brings people together to get results. He was able to lead his fellow representatives to eliminate Iowa’s budget deficit, create a state “rainy day fund” still used today, put into place programs to help Iowa’s uninsured children receive better care, and enact major tax reform – which was the last time we had a major tax modernization in Iowa.

Ron graduated from Newton High School and Cornell College in Mount Vernon before moving to Cedar Rapids. He’s dedicated much of his life to public service, but he’s also no stranger to the joys and hardships of business. Before becoming mayor, Ron worked in the trucking industry, and, as a young man, helped to start several companies, one of which is the Peppy’s Ice Cream truck company that still serves dozens of eastern Iowa communities to this day.

Whether in public service or private industry, Ron Corbett is a champion of conservative principles and ideals. He’s seen them work in business, in state government, and as mayor. Thanks to these deeply held beliefs, his skills as a leader, and the strength of community, Cedar Rapids is stronger than ever. Ron believes Iowa can be too, and that’s why he’s running for governor.